Fur carroting machine



Oct. 23, 1951 J. F. ELLIS 2,572,125

FUR CARROTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JOS'P/v E 624/6 ArroeMEV Oct. 23, 1951 J. F. ELLIS FUR CARROTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1949 WW I l I I m BIP u m ziii i: .l. .l. a.

Q N INVENTOR.

Jose/ F. 624/6 BY Arrow/s) Oct. 23, 1951 J. F. ELLIS FUR CARROTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 2, 1949 Y Z v m m A Q 1951 J. F. ELLIS FUR CARROTIYNG MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 2, 1949 Jose? E 2445 Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Z Ioseph'i Danhury, ,Gonn. npplicatisn Febriiary 2, 1949, serial 1%. 74,102

4 G laims.

The present invention relates to an improved fur carroting machine.

Numerous attempts. have been made in the past to provide machines for carrot-mg skins to rep ace the usual hand. operation. The principle" involved in applying a carrot-mg sol'utionxtn the fur of a skin is substantially the same in both a hand operation and a machine operation,

namely, the use of a brush for 'applying'a carrot ing solution, such for example as nitrate-of mere cury, Farian Carrot or: anyother non inercuric acid and working it into the fur during the brushing operation.

The present machine comprises a rotarybrus'h provided with novel means for distributing over:

its surface the proper quantity of earning sold-'- tion and adapted to impregnate therewith thefur' of the skin which passes beneath the brush, the skin being fed beneath the rotating brush by suitable conveying mechanism. v

-A further tea Lure of the present invention is the provision. of a novel conveying and supporting apparatus for the fur skins consisting of aseries' of stainless steel slats suitably s aced te receive the prongs of rollers positioned belewthe slats whereby rotation of the rollers will move the' sk ihsalong the slats in contact with rotating brushes above the slats.

A stil1 further feature of the presentinveirtien is the provision of a compact, simplified apparatus for'uniformly and more thoroughly applying the car-roting solution to the fur bei'ng treated and employing a novel arrangement for prevept= ing-waste of theca-rroting solution.

Gther features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent frbjm the fol-- lowing detailed description of a preferredeinb'od'iment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the left half of the present improved apparatus.

Figure 1a is a side elevation of the right half of the apparatus.

The frame structure is suitably braced to form a rigid support and is provided with brackets on eitherside serving as supports for the feeding mechanism.

Referring to Fi ure 1, the feeding means for the fur pelt comprises a conveyor apron or end frame l8 which latter extends from the frame I 0 in a position opposed to the frame member M.

Supported above the frame I0 and forming the table top for the frame are a plurality of flat slats l9. These slats are preferably formed of stainless steel, oreould be of suitable acid resist:- ant metal. These slats are longitudinally spaced across the width of the frame and are held in such position by cross bars 20 to which the slats are joined by welding or the like. As seen in Figures 3 and 5, the forward end of the slats [9 are curved downwardly fora purpose to be described. The means for conveying the pelts through the main part of the apparatus comprises a plurality of rollers known as pickers indicated by the nu;

meral 2|. These pickers carry a series of pins or prongs 22 suitably spaced along the length of the roller to extend into the spaces between the metal slats IS. The pins22 are also spaced about the periphery of the roller as clearly seen in Figures 3 and 5, The rollers 2| are rotatively mounted an the frame member I0 immediately below the slats l9. andthe prongs or pins 22 are of sufficientlength to penetrate the skin of the pelt lying on the slats l9. -This provides for feeding and proper positioning of the pelts during the carroting. operation.

A plurality of conveyor rollers 23 are positioned at various points immediately above thecon veyor belts II and I6 and slats 19 to feed the pelt 24 through the apparatus. The carrotingsolution 25 is applied to the fur of the pelt by a large: brush 26 located adjacent the entrance-side The acid or carroting solution I is; supplied to brush 26 by the supply brush 2! which in turn is supplied by the perforated sup ply pipe 281 The pipe 28 is supplied with the. acid by a pump 29 interposed in the pipe line 30 running between the supply pipe 28 and the acid supply tank 3!. A hand control valve 32 may be provided to shut off the supply of acid when desired or to regulate the amount of acid supplied to the supply pipe 28. An acid tank 33 is mounted adjacent the supply brush 2! with a portion thereof cut away at 34 to underlie the supply brush to receive any excess acid dripping off the brush. A return pipe 35 connected at the underside of tank 33 returns the excess acid to the supply tank 3i where the acid may be recirculated to the supply brush 21'.

Mounted rearwardly of the large brush 26 are a pair of spaced brushes 3'6 and 31 which serve to rub off any excess acid on the skins and slick the hairs on the skin down. As seen in Figure 3, the conveyor rollers 23 are interposed between the various brushes to assure proper conveying of the pelt through the apparatus.

The various brushes and conveyors may be driven by any suitable driving means. The driving means may consist of an electric motor and reduction box generally indicated by numeral 38 suspended from the bracket 88 by supporting members 39. The motor is connected to the various brushes and rollers through suitable gearing and sprocket chains. The picker rolls are so arranged as to rotate a little slower than the brushes thereby enabling the brushes to more thoroughly rub the fur, remove the excess acid and slick the hairs down. Any suitable gearing for accomplishing this result may be used.

The operation is as follows:

The skins are placed on the conveyor apron l l with the fur extending upwardly, said apron moving the skins to the first of the rolls 23 which brings the skins into contact with the stainless steel strips 19, the brush 26 and the first of the picker rolls 2!. The picker pins 22 penetrate the skins and form an effective means for feeding the skin or pelt at a uniform speed through the apparatus. The pins also serve to hold the skins against shifting during the brushing operation for both applying the carroting solution and working the same into the fur of the skin. The carroting solution which is stored in the tank 3| is pumped to the perforated supply pipe 28 through the pipe 30 by means of pump 29 and is there evenly distributed to the supply brush 2?. The supply brush 21 rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation of the brush 26 and as it contacts said brush, it deposits the solution on said brush which in turn applies the solution to the fur skins as the brush contacts the skins during the passage of the skins through the apparatus. Any excess solution dripping off the supply brush 2! drops into the tank 33 and is returned to the supply tank through pipe 35. This construction insures an even supply of carroting solution to the brush 26 and in turn to the fur skins. As the skins advance after the carroting solution is applied to the fur, they come into contact with the slicking brushes 36 and 31 which work the solution into the fur and rub off any excess solution. At the outlet end of the apparatus, the skins are carried to the conveyor l6 where they may be removed or directed to a suitable receiver.

It will be noted that the location of the slats between the brushes and the picker rolls will insure a proper passage of the skins through the apparatus. Since the picker rollers rotate about a fixed axis, the slats form a simple way of stripping the skins from the last picker roll as the skins are moved onto the conveyor belt l6.

Owing to the construction and arrangement "plurality of rollers rotatably mounted below said slats and having spaced pins mounted thereon adapted to extend into the space between adjacent slats to penetrate the pelt and propel it U along the slats, a brush rotatably mounted above the slats to apply a carroting solution to the fur pelt, a second brush located above said first brush for supplying carroting solution to said first brush, and a perforated pipe for supplying carroting solution to said second brush.

2. In a fur carroting machine, a conveying mechanism for propelling fur pelts through the machine, a brush located above the conveying mechanism for applying a carroting solution to the pelts, a second brush for supplying the car-.

roting solution to said first brush, a perforated pipe for supplying the carroting solution to the second brush, a supply tank for the carroting solution and a second tank for receiving any excess solution from the second brush and returning same to said supply tank.

8. In a fur carroting machine, a conveying mechanism for propelling fur pelts through the machine, a brush located above the conveying mechanism for applying a carroting solution to the pelts, a second brush for supplying the carroting solution to said first brush, a perforated pipe for supplying the carroting solution to the second brush, a supply tank for the, carroting solution, a second tank for receiving any excess solution from the second .brush and returning same to said supply tank, and means for regulating the amount of carroting solution supplied to said perforated pipe.

4. In a fur carroting machine, a plurality of spaced slats for supporting a fur pelt thereon, a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted below said slats and having spaced pins mounted thereon and extending between adjacent slats to penetrate the pelt and propel it along the slats, a first brush rotatably mounted above the slats to apply a carroting solution to the fur pelt, additional brushes mounted above the slats to work said carroting solution into the fur pelts, and rollers above said slats for pressing the fur pelts against said slats.

JOSEPH F. ELLIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany July 23, 1932 

